The Dallas Cowboys search for defensive help will be ongoing for a while and now they’ve been linked to a former Pro Bowl safety who is seeking a trade.
Getting Kenny Moore II from Indianapolis wouldn’t qualify as a blockbuster, and there are two of those trades proposed for the Cowboys involving two of the most likely names: George Pickens and Maxx Crosby.
With the NFL draft now just a week away, here is how Dallas is positioning.
Kenny Moore II
Indianapolis Colts safety Kenny Moore II is on the trading block, a mutual decision by player and team, and of course, the Dallas Cowboys are a projected landing spot for the 30-year-old former Pro Bowler.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer did a column of pre-draft takeaways and suggested the Cowboys make a move for Moore.
Breer writes: “As for potential landing spots, I think Dallas would be one, with the nickel being an important piece in new coordinator Christian Parker’s defense and the Cowboys having a hole after Jourdan Lewis’s departure to the Jaguars last year. The Vikings are another potential fit, with Moore’s versatility meshing, at least on paper, with how DC Brian Flores builds his defense. Those teams being in the NFC should also make them likely suitors, assuming Indy would rather not help out a conference rival.
“Moore, who will turn 31 in August, is in a contract year, so that’ll drive down his value some. But if the price was a Day 3 pick on the higher end, and I had a need like Dallas and Minnesota, I’d probably do it.”
Breer had six pass breakups and an interception last year and was also the Colts’ nominee for the NFL Man of the Year award. He was a Colts captain for four years.
Breer also said Dallas could be a team that could consider moving up to the No. 3 pick in the draft, trading with Arizona, to draft Ohio State rusher Arvell Reese.
He writes: “The Cowboys could view Reese like they did (Micah) Parsons in 2021. They also have two first-round picks. On the draft value chart, the 12th and 20th picks add up to 2,050 points, which is in between the value of the third (2,200) and fourth (1,800) picks. Would Arizona take a slight discount or ask Dallas for its third-rounder, which would leave the Cowboys with just one pick in the top 100? It’s interesting to ponder, anyway.”
George Pickens trade rumors
Each week brings a new trade proposal for Dallas to move on from receiver George Pickens, with the idea that they can shift resources to help the defense without having to break the bank on a long-term deal with Pickens, who may hold out on the one-year franchise tag he now has.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has a column detailing eight possible trades across the NFL, and one of those is trading Pickens to the Ravens for their No. 1 pick, which is No. 14 overall.
Knox writes: “Given Pickens’ age (25) and proven production (1,429 yards in 2025), teams will likely inquire about him just before or during the draft. The Cowboys, who are already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million per year, might listen.
“Replacing Pickens with a receiver like Kevin Concepcion or Omar Cooper Jr.—on a rookie contract—would make plenty of financial sense. Snagging Pickens would make sense for a team like the Baltimore Ravens.
”Baltimore could use a legitimate No. 1 receiver, and Pickens would certainly fill that need. He may also relish a chance to go up against the Pittsburgh Steelers team that jettisoned him a year ago.”
Dallas has displayed no interest in trading Pickens, but they also reportedly aren’t negotiating anything long-term with him.
In a quote from someone who matters on this, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones (co-owner) had this to say on 105.3 The Fan: “You hate to get into things like that, but no, we’ve had no one call with interest in George Pickens.”
Maxx Crosby trade rumors
No list of trades would be complete without a Maxx Crosby proposal and Knox has Dallas going after the Las Vegas edge rusher. Knox has Dallas giving up a 2027 1st-round pick, their 2027 2nd-round pick and a 2028 3rd-round pick.
He points out this is unlikely, but writes: “It wouldn’t be a total shock if the Raiders get offers that are difficult to refuse after the draft—when teams seeking a pass-rusher may have missed out. One team to watch is Dallas, which made multiple offers for Crosby earlier this offseason.
“Dallas eventually acquired Rashan Gary from Green Bay, but if the Cowboys can’t add pass-rushing help in the draft, they could make a strong push to pair Gary and Crosby together. The Raiders, sensing a chance to put more offense pieces around presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, just might listen.”
None of those picks Knox is sending to the Raiders are this year, so those pieces would have to wait.
David Bailey
Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey is widely expected to go either second or third in the draft and Dallas sure would love to have him. That happens in Bradley Locker’s mock draft for PFF, which obviously involves a trade.
In this particular one, Dallas sends its No. 12 pick and its first- and second-round picks next year − that’s giving up more than they got for Micah Parsons − to Arizona for the No. 3 pick. This mock has Ohio State’s Arvell Reese going second to the New York Jets, so Dallas grabs Bailey at No. 3.
Locker writes: “With Bailey still available, multiple teams seem likely to try to move up the board to nab him. Arguably, no franchise is better-positioned than Dallas, with the chance to dangle extra first-round picks in both 2026 and 2027. The Cowboys did trade for Rashan Gary and have Donovan Ezeiruaku returning, but Bailey’s 21.6% pass-rush win rate provides the team with a game-changing presence at the position.”
With the 20th pick, Locker has Dallas taking Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, then he grades Dallas’ draft a C+.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Cowboys linked to Kenny Moore II, George Pickens trade rumors
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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